Right now, one of the hottest topics in the shooting community is the ammunition shortage. Store shelves in retail sporting goods outlets and gun shops are nearly empty, and what there is has a higher-than-normal price tag. I suspect a number of factors have contributed to this scarcity of ammo, but when you add the impact this has had on availability and prices, something has got to give. In order for you to be ready to take a split-second shot to defend your life, you must maintain your skill set with your defensive firearm—an increasingly difficult proposition due to the current ammunition shortage.

I’m always on the lookout for a way for shooters to “do more with less.” Recently, I received a press release presenting new products from LaserLyte. It was like an answer to my prayers. The first item was a plastic training handgun that they’d dubbed the Trigger Tyme Pistol (TTP). With its electric-blue coloration and plastic construction, its appearance belies is true function as a use-anywhere training tool substitute for a real firearm. The gun’s shape resembles that of a popular, medium-sized autoloader and is sized, weighted and balanced to give it the realistic “feel” of many of today’s duty and defense guns. It has very realistic sights, and the simulated 5.5-pound trigger pull has the same take-up and break action as the real thing; but the TTP is perfectly safe, as it will not accept or fire any ammunition. This means it can be used almost anywhere to teach marksmanship basics like sight picture, proper grip, stance, breathing control and trigger press. It’s also handy for practicing your draw, reholstering and even weapon-retention exercises…

Read more at Combat Handguns .